Can somebody act as their own defense attorney and not take the witness stand in their own defense?

I wonder if you can, in effect, present your side of the story while acting as your own counsel without being subject to cross examination as a defendant giving testimony.

Not really. If you don't testify, and you don't present other witnesses, you will have presented no evidence. And if you present no evidence, you can't "argue" what it would have been.

"They say that a man who represents himself in court has a fool for a client. And, with God as my witness, I am that fool!"

speeding tickets, hell,all traffic tickets are easy to defeat pro se and in fact, is the only way to defeat them as a hired lawyer always addresses the merits of the

case,(instead of due process violations )is always in collusion with the court/afraid of the judge resulting in a lesser charge or deal.

your work begins well before court by filing the proper motions,affidavits into the record.

youll need to know your applicable statutes, always read the statute your being charged under as it was passed by legislature.

learn your states criminal procedure AND FIND THE DUE PROCESS VIOLATIONS THEY SURELY COMMITTED. get busy on the courts ass.

I have watched several people I have cited or charged represent themselves. I can only think of one time when the guy got the charges dropped. Many of themselves, particularly the ones that were/are pissed about why they are there, end up embarrassing themselves. Doubly so when there is a witness for the prosecution they don't like.

Riiiiiight...

<Keep it on topic; this is a tech form, not GD - BB>

Basically, no. You can represent yourself and ask questions of both the prosecution witnesses and any witnesses you want, but you can't get up and "tell your story" by being your own attorney then just avoid being cross examined, basically you would still have to be sworn in and be subject to cross examination if you wanted to talk about the case.

First Let me say first, I am not an attorney. I worked in court services (bailiff / security) for 8 years and watched many trial, proceedings etc... I can recall one person who did a credible job of representing themselves. Most did not know the proceedures, protocalls, or the law/case law applicable to their situation. What I saw was that most were too emotionally in the issue to be objective. typically they got buried alive. Not sure whatyour issue is , but if its has serious implications, get yourself counsel.

<Edited and warned. - BB>

My son and three of his friends were sited for crimnal trespass (vehicular). They were parked in the Auto Zone parking lot on cuise night after the posted hours. Friends got lawyers, paid $350 for lawyer fees, ticket fine, court costs and to try and get the charge dismissed. They went to court, pled not guilty and got another court date for the trial.

My son looked up the fee on the city website, walked into court and pled no contest. Judge said "I find you guilty", asked the court clerk what the fine was, she told him up to $100. Judge asked my son "How does $50 sound"? My son said "works for me". Judge fined him $50 and no court costs. And it comes off his record in 6 months if no other criminal convictions. Criminal court so no points on his driving record and insurance rates not affected.

Defending yourself can work if the conditions are rtight and you do some research into the charges and fines.